City residents get chance to speak on grade changes

Saturday

Mar 9, 2013 at 12:01 AM

A major change such as moving sixth-graders from Lexington Middle School to elementary schools deserves a thorough airing, and that seems to be taking place. Several people spoke at the Lexington City Board of Education meeting Tuesday both in support and opposition to the move. This follows two public meetings last week where school administrators explained the rationale for the potential change. Another meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the administrative office; interested parties should make plans to attend.

A major change such as moving sixth-graders from Lexington Middle School to elementary schools deserves a thorough airing, and that seems to be taking place. Several people spoke at the Lexington City Board of Education meeting Tuesday both in support and opposition to the move. This follows two public meetings last week where school administrators explained the rationale for the potential change. Another meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the administrative office; interested parties should make plans to attend.Speakers on both sides of the issue made good points Tuesday, but one fact is becoming clear: Not everyone is going to like whatever decision the board makes. Ultimately, the school board members must decide what they believe will best enhance learning opportunities for students in the system. No one will know for certain if a change would do that; board members must review the data from other systems with such a setup and see if it applies to Lexington. The school board deserves credit for providing multiple opportunities for residents to express their opinion.Thursday's announcement that the Interstate 85 southbound bridge would open to traffic this weekend didn't bring a visit from the governor, but still the news was welcome for motorists. The northbound bridge has carried two-way traffic since May, but now the N.C. Department of Transportation will open the southbound bridge, meaning each bridge will carry four lanes of traffic. Work continues on the I-85 Corridor Improvement Project, but the opening of the bridge marks a monumental milestone. Those who lobbied for years for the new bridges should certainly feel a sense of pride with the bridge opening.Public transportation is often thought of in terms of large cities, but Davidson County boasts a thriving system. County transportation officials announced an expansion of the Thomasville fixed route, which added 20 new stops. Shelters for riders waiting on the bus may soon be coming as well. Ridership remains strong not only in Thomasville but in Lexington and a connector route between the two cities as well. Hopefully the future will bring even more expansions to further enhance the routes.The importance of emergency personnel comes to the forefront in a crisis, and Jeff Smith became a primary face when tornados struck Davidson County in November 2011. Smith, only 51, retired as director of the county emergency services last week. A 12-year battle with cancer finally caught up with Smith, a consummate professional who worked for emergency services for more than 31 years. Smith expresses a realistic view about his health, but hopefully he will enjoy a long and fulfilling retirement.